17-Year-Old Alabama High School Basketball Star Dies After Collapsing During Workout

basketball
Rafa Jodar/Getty Images
Warner Todd Huston

A high school basketball player from Alabama died suddenly Thursday after a medical emergency at his school, according to reports.

Pinson Valley High School senior Caleb White was pronounced dead at a local hospital after collapsing at the suburban Birmingham school, ABC News reported.

White reportedly collapsed during a team workout at around 1:12 p.m. and was pronounced dead an hour later. Authorities said that the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office was to conduct a postmortem exam on Friday to try and determine the cause of death.

Pinson Valley High School Principal Michael Turner assured parents that lifesaving efforts were “immediately started,” and first responders were quickly called to the school.

“Please know counseling resources will be available for anyone who needs them in the coming days,” Turner told parents in a letter. “Please keep the student’s family and our school in your prayers.”

The teen was a highly-ranked player in the state, being ranked as No. 3 in the state and No. 43 in the country. Several colleges were courting him, though he had not yet declared what college he was looking to attend.

White’s friends and family were, of course, devastated by the loss.

“Today was just heartbreaking. I can’t even put words together for it,” said close friend Arnold Thomas.

“I am gonna be honest, his team was stacked. Caleb put 20 points on my head,” Thomas added about one of his first memories of White. “I lived with it. He was a great kid.”

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Caleb White, his family, and the @PinsonValley Community,” the Mountain Brook High School basketball team said in a Twitter statement. “Phenomenal player but more importantly a great person that’s gone [too] soon.”

White’s grandfather, George Varnadoe Jr., announced on Facebook that Caleb collapsed on the basketball court at school and died.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.